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H3 Eaton locker installation

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blaz

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14
Location
Winnipeg, MB, Canada
Sorry to bump an old thread but the pics are no longer visible. I have a 2005 blazer with the 8.6" 10 bolt that I had an eaton e-locker installed in. The locker no longer holds, so I have come here for some help.

Here is a pic of my blazer;



My new bumper I just fabbed up. Still needs paint.

 
alrock

alrock

El Diablo
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Pics should be visible - they work for me. Sounds like you need a rebuild kit for the locker as the pins (and locking plate) are probably rounded down. I can't find the picture of the worn pieces (from another truck) but you can see the locking plate in the lower center of this picture.

Edit - the worn pin can be seen in this picture to the right of the plate.
LockerInstall-012112-13-L.jpg
 
Last edited:
alrock

alrock

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PM MaxPF and maybe he can send you the pics. Eaton makes rebuild kits for these lockers. MaxPF has rebuilt a couple of them for H3 owners.
 
3

3Hummers

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The good thing about BTM is you can wait until you need it and then start using it. As has been said, lockers should be engaged before you actually need them.
 
Chook

Chook

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Max, you did such a great job you need a holiday........... Ever thought about coming down under ?? Skippy & I can take you to some cool places (If only we had front lockers as well !!!!)
 
B

blaz

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Winnipeg, MB, Canada
Thank you Gents! I always engage the locker before I need it, but with the 5 speed I think rolling backward then giving it gas up a feature is what caused the failure. Still need to dig into diff.
 
cbetts

cbetts

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blaz said:
Thank you Gents! I always engage the locker before I need it, but with the 5 speed I think rolling backward then giving it gas up a feature is what caused the failure. Still need to dig into diff.
Click to expand...

I know the feeling. It took me some time to develop a technique in my truck to get moving up hill without rolling back while the clutch engages. I recently had to teach the trick to another fellow gear grinder on the trail in the Sierras last month.
 
MaxPF

MaxPF

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blaz said:
Thank you Gents! I always engage the locker before I need it, but with the 5 speed I think rolling backward then giving it gas up a feature is what caused the failure. Still need to dig into diff.
Click to expand...

That is what will kill the E-Locker. When you reverse direction the locker will unlock and re-lock. When you roll backwards and then stand on it you are making the locker engage under wheel spin, which is A Bad Thing™. This is where ARBs have an advantage - once they lock they remain locked until air pressure is removed. Still, the E-Locker is a good unit. As long as you avoid wheelspin for the first tire rotation when you engage it or change direction you can avoid damaging the pins and locking gear.
 
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blaz

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Winnipeg, MB, Canada
Pulled the diff cover yesterday. Metal pieces = damaged pins. Spiders are fine, Ring and Pinion are fine, Bearings are ok still. The diff cover magnet did it's job. Open diff it will stay for now. Thanks to all for the help.
 
MaxPF

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4speedfunk

4speedfunk

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True. I got to check out the two designs side by side (Dana vs. GM 8.6). Crash-locking is probably not a good idea on any selectable.
 
MaxPF

MaxPF

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4speedfunk said:
True. I got to check out the two designs side by side (Dana vs. GM 8.6). Crash-locking is probably not a good idea on any selectable.
Click to expand...

The deal with the E-locker (both old and new) is that the locking mechanism unlocks and relocks every time you reverse direction. This makes it easy to inadvertently crash lock the E-Locker. This is the one advantage an ARB has - once it is locked it remains locked even when reversing direction. The only way to crash lock an ARB is to engage it while you are spinning a tire, which is easy to avoid. Avoiding crash lock damage to an E-Locker just requires a bit more education on it's use.
 
SuperBuickGuy

SuperBuickGuy

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MaxPF said:
The deal with the E-locker (both old and new) is that the locking mechanism unlocks and relocks every time you reverse direction. This makes it easy to inadvertently crash lock the E-Locker. This is the one advantage an ARB has - once it is locked it remains locked even when reversing direction. The only way to crash lock an ARB is to engage it while you are spinning a tire, which is easy to avoid. Avoiding crash lock damage to an E-Locker just requires a bit more education on it's use.
Click to expand...

this here is what's convincing me to take the e-locker out of the back and replace with a tru-track.... I'll probably put an e-locker in the front and use the dash switch to operate it (or ARB, though it's almost twice the money as an e-locker)
 
MaxPF

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SuperBuickGuy said:
this here is what's convincing me to take the e-locker out of the back and replace with a tru-track.... I'll probably put an e-locker in the front and use the dash switch to operate it (or ARB, though it's almost twice the money as an e-locker)
Click to expand...

A truetrac will never achieve the capability of a locker. In situations where one tire has zero traction and real torque is needed at the other tire to move forward, they are nearly as useless as an open diff.

There is nothing inherently wrong with the e-locker. You simply need to avoid high speed wheelspin for the first half-revolution whenever it is engaged or direction is reversed. It isn't rocket science. Even if you do round off the pins it won't leave you stranded, and the unit is repairable for a reasonable cost.
 
4speedfunk

4speedfunk

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It has yet to be proven if an automatic traction device will screw with the H3's TCS and Stabilitrac. Having dicked around quite a bit with the front reluctor rings, I think I got a pretty good understanding of how the electronic stuff is supposed to work. IMO...the puter needs to have un-limited slip to work properly in normal street driving situations. The Eaton E-locker is a shoe-in because its a true open diff when not engaged. The ARB is too. However the Auburn electric is not...it operates like a posi when dis-engaged.

I'm not aware of anyone that has installed an automatic (detroit, tru-track, lunchbox, spool, gov-lock, etc.) in an H3. I'm curious to know if the Stabilitrac, ABS, and TCS would tend to fight it.
 
B

blaz

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Location
Winnipeg, MB, Canada
I have been running an Eaton E locker for about two years. This past summer I noticed that it wasn't locking properly.


THIS LOCKER DISENGAGES IF YOU CHANGE FROM FORWARD TO REVERSE RESULTING IN LOCKING UNDER POWER! The locking pins have a tendency to wear out under this condition. I am not saying bad things, I am only giving info from personal experience.


Pics are worth a thousand words, so here goes.














I (with help) installed the Yukon Grizzly Locker today. Reviews will follow.
 
alrock

alrock

El Diablo
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Thanks. The locker should be engaged at a standstill and before tackling the obstacle. And as you point out, you need to be aware of what happens when you reverse so you don't end up engaging while in motion
 
Portager

Portager

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Silverado
My Elocker stays engaged when I switch from forward to reverse and vise verse. Eaton's application guide :link: says it works in forward and reverse. The owners manual says nothing about it disengaging when shifting from forward to reverse, but it does say it will automatically disengage above 40 mph. I don't know what happens if it disengages above 40 mph and you slow down to less than 40 mph (I'm not going to test it either). If it tries to re-engage at speed and or under power that could cause damage. The manual says to only engage the lockers below 16 mph, but I only engage mine at 1 to 2 mph, but I have disengaged at higher speed but still under 16 mph and reduced load (no skinny pedal) when I need to turn and I don't want to slow down too much.
 
B

blaz

Member
Messages
14
Location
Winnipeg, MB, Canada
If you have a 10 bolt rear end and a EATON E locker. It does disengage from forward to reverse. The button will stay lit and it is technically engaged but it isn't.

My wheeling areas and features attempted don't allow don't me to always maintain forward progression. I therefore will not ever run the eaton e locker again. The locker works, just not for my application. DO NOT ever try to rock back and forward to get out of a snow drift.







 
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